Underwater speaking device

ABSTRACT

An underwater speaking tube employs a free-flooding speaking section which fits over the speaker&#39;&#39;s mouth. A venting tube to expel water is separated by a sound-transferring diaphragm from a sound distribution section.

tates tent 91 Alexander Aug. 13, 197A UNDERWATER SPEAKING DEVICE [56]References Cited [75] Inventor: David 0rd Alexander, Washington, UNITEDSTATES PATENTS D.C. 2,844,212 7/1958 Hogan ct al. 340/8 Assigneez Sol B.Wiezer Washington DC a 3,548,371 12/1970 Alexander 181/.5 A partinterest Primary ExammerBen am1n A. Borchelt Flledi p 10, 1969 AssistantExaminer-J. V. Doramus [21] Appl. No.: 860,154

Related US. Application Data [57] BSTRACT [63] Continuation of Ser. N0731,774, May 24, 1968, An underwater speakmg tube employs afree-flooding abandoned I speakmg section which fits over the speakersmouth.

' A venting tube to expel water is separated by a sound- [52] US. Cl. I23 M126, l 2 3 tQ/ 5 transferring diaphragm from a sound distributionsec- [5'1] Inf;'ClT...'...' H04b 13/02 tion. I [581 I Field of Search181/.5 A; 340/12, 5 0 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 UNDERWATER SPEAKINGDEVICE This application is a streamline continuation of Ser. No.731,774, filed May 24, 1968 and now abandoned.

a diaphragm, so that the voice of the speaker becomes directionallytransferable and amplified for underwater communication.

More specifically, the device comprises a speaking tube for underwateruse having openings communicating with the water in both the speakingand the sounddistributing sections, which allow free water-flooding,

- the sections being separated by a sound-transferring diaphragm. Onesection, a speaking section, has an opening adapted to be placed aroundthe mouth of the speaker, the speaking section being provided withventing means for displacing the water-from the speaking section .by thebreath of the speaker, whereafter the sound of the voice of the speakerbecomes transferable through an air medium developed by the breath ofthe speaker after displacing the water thereof through the vent. Thesound is transferred therefrom through a sound transparent diaphragm andsome through the walls of the chamber,.most of the sound passinginto awater-flooded sound-distributing section usually tubular and somewhatflared at the end as in 'a horn or megaphone. The vent. of the speakingchamber is equipped with a valve which both controls the displacement ofwater from that speaking section in use and also is adjustable toprovide sufficient pressure in the speaking section by the sound andbreath of the speaker. to allow a breathing pressure and resonancetherein to allow the voice or sound to impinge against the diaphragm.

The invention will be further described in detail with reference to thedrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a side'elevation in section of the device;

FIG. 2 is a detail showing the diaphragm andresilient supporting discsmountable therewith;

FIG. 3 shows a side elevation illustrating how the two sections areassembled together with a supporting handle means for use of the device;and

FIG. 4 is an end view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring first to FIG. 3, the device comprises a speaking section 14,flooded when not in use, but from which water is expelled, as willappear, and a sounddistributing section slightly flared as a horn ormegaphone for distributing the sound outward into the water as thedevice is used under water. The two sections 10 and 14. aretelescopically interfitted as a pair of sleeves 9 and may be fastenedtogether by a bayonet type sleeve joint 9 secured in fixed position by apin 23 which slides as a guide in the groove 27 for assembly of the twosections for operation.

The horn or sound-distributing section 10 is separated from the speakingsection 14 by a soundtransfe'rring diaphragm 11 which is reenforced forvibrational strength and rigidity by sealing discs 16, one on each side,the diaphragm and disc assembly being placed against a collar or flange20 in assembled position in the speaking section, as shown in FIG. 1.

A face or mouth seal 13 is provided in the speaking end of the speakingchamber 14, press fitted for support against an outer end flange 17. Theface seal 13 is a disc having an opening 15 large enough to fit aboutthe lips of the speaker with enough clearance to allow the speaker toarticulate with his lips into the opening 17. A vent 24 tube having thefluid flow therein controlled by a rotary valve 15, and having a plughandle 12 for fluid flow control through the valve 15 allows water inthe pre-flooding chamber 14 to be expelled I through the vent 24 withthe handle 12 in the open position in the direction of the arrow of FIG. 1. Thereafter the plug 15 is adjusted to constrict the flow of thespeakers breath therethrough sufficient to force the speaking sound orvoice to resonate or impact against the speaking diaphragm 11 withsufficient pressure or vibrational force to transfer the sound of thespeakers voice.

In alternate construction the valve plug 15 can be replaced by aspring-hinged vent plate 25, sealing the vent 24 so that the valveoperates automatically, the vent plate 25 being resiliently pressedclosed but will open by the breath of the speaker to allow expulsion ofwater from the speaking chamber 14, but will provide a speakingresonance therein by constriction of the vent sufficing to allow'thevoice to impact against speaking diaphragm. Hence, the speaker, havingplaced the device about his mouthwiththe seal 13 sealshown in FIGS. 2and 4. The sound waves thus produced are transferred by the disc 11 intothe waterfilled chamber 10 and thence outward into the water and willcarry substantial distances under water as ordinary sound waves. It isimportant that the diaphragm ll be formed of acoustically transparentmaterial to the extent possible, available in numerous materials such asthin sheet metal, plastic, or rubber, the latter being preferred foreasy handling and good sound transparency, and the reenforcing discs 16may likewise be of metal, plastic, or rubber.

It is often useful to mount a compass 18 upon the device for determiningthe direction in whichthe speaking sound is to be projected; that is,the direction in t I which the device is to be pointed; and sometimes alight source 19 which may include a bulb and a battery with a switch, asis usual in an ordinary flashlight, may be mounted on the outside of thedevice as shown in FIG. 3 for producing a beam of light by which thereceiver can identifythe direction or the source of the sound.

As shown in FIG. 3 a handle means 22 may be provided on one of thesections, preferably the soundprojecting section 10, and a lanyard,which may be a wire bail, or a rope sling 21, may be further provided sothat the device can be hung from the belt of an underwater diver andused in the manner described whenever needed.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. The faceseal 13 may be made more elaborate and shaped to more closely fit aboutthe face and lips of the speaker. Indeed, the seal 13 may be fastened toa face mask and fitted over the eyes and nose of the diver. Thediaphragm 11 is variable in material as a sound-transferring device. Theshape of the soundprojecting horn 10, may be flared more widely ornarrowly and, if desired, means for amplifying the sound may beinterconnected with the diaphragm 11 as is known for sound-projectingdevices such as megaphone bullhorn, and the like, for amplifying thesound as desired, andmounted insulated from the water in a waterproofhousing like the flashlight 19. Thus, various modifications known forsound-projection devices may be used herein, including other modifiedventing mechanisms than those shown.

Accordingly, the description and drawings herein are intended to beexemplary and not limiting except as defined in the claims appendedhereto.

I claim:

1. A device for underwater sound projection from the mouth of a speaker,comprising free-flooding speaking and sound projecting sections,said'sections being separated from each other by a sound-permeablediaphragm, venting means in said speaking section, and a mouth sealhaving an opening therein sized to surround the mouth of the speaker toprevent water leakage from the outwide to said speaking section in use,whereby the speaker may blow into and thus displace water from saidspeaking section by way of a said venting means and project his voice inspeaking resonance against said sound-permeable diaphragm outwardlythrough said sound-projection section.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the said vent is controlledby a valve operable by the speaker.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said vent is an automaticcheck valve allowing outward displacement of water by the breath of thespeaker, preventing water return through said vent while the device isin use.

'4. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the speaking section andthe sound-projection section are manually separably secured together.

5. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the speaking and thesound-projection sections are telescopically interfitted and securedtogether.

6. The device as defined in claim 1 having means for support of saiddevice upon the mouth of the speaker in use.

7. The device as defined in claim 1 having lanyard means for support ofsaid device about the person of the user underwater when the said deviceis not in use.

phragm separating said speaking and sound-projectionsections isreenforced by sound-permeable supporting discs.

1. A device for underwater sound projection from the mouth of a speaker,comprising free-flooding speaking and sound projecting sections, saidsections being separated from each other by a sound-permeable diaphragm,venting means in said speaking section, and a mouth seal having anopening therein sized to surround the mouth of the speaker to preventwater leakage from the outwide to said speaking section in use, wherebythe speaker may blow into and thus displace water from said speakingsection by way of a said venting means and project his voice in speakingresonance against said sound-permeable diaphragm outwardly through saidsound-projection section.
 2. The device as defined in claim 1 whereinthe said vent is controlled by a valve operable by the speaker.
 3. Thedevice as defined in claim 1 wherein said vent is an automatic checkvalve allowing outward displacement of water by the breath of thespeaker, preventing water return through said vent while the device isin use.
 4. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the speaking sectionand the sound-projection section are manually separably securedtogether.
 5. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the speaking andthe sound-projection sections are telescopically interfitted and securedtogether.
 6. The device as defined in claim 1 having means for supportof said device upon the mouth of the speaker in use.
 7. The device asdefined in claim 1 having lanyard means for support of said device aboutthe person of the user underwater when the said device is not in use. 8.The device as defined in claim 1 having means for projecting lighttherefrom.
 9. The device as defined in claim 1 having a compass meansmounted upon said device for projecting the sound in a selecteddirection.
 10. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the diaphragmseparating said speaking and sound-projection sections is reenforced bysound-permeable supporting discs.